To Be Human
by olawah18
Summary: What is humanity? On which scale is humanity measured?


**My first fan fiction, please give me feedback. Critiques, what you liked, questions if anything is unclear. I plan on making this long. **

**PR**

Robbie had never felt so beaten before nor had he ever felt so cold and alone. The young man had found his way to the safety of a cave, miles away from the city, and miles away for his tormentor and pursuer, beaten and bruised which told the story of his recent quandaries. He doubted his pursuer was still following. That gave Robbie enough confidence to slightly relax his body leaning his throbbing head against the cool walls of the cave, closing his eyes tightly he willed his body to stop hurting as he recalled the events that had led to his current pathetic state. His hands clenched, he hated them so much.

The humans renamed re-birthers, who had awoken one fateful day with amazing powers and enhanced looks. The cost for such 'gifts' from God - as the re-birthers called it…? Their humanity was lost. Friends and Family turned on each other three years ago, as the clear division between those who changed and those who didn't became more evident.

The re-birthers began to see themselves as superior, as the fated rulers over the regular humans. Humans seen this troubling change begin, and a war broke out. It lasted only eighteen months, the Victors being the re-birthers. As punishment for the war humans were quickly demoted to below second-class citizens.

His thoughts were cut short by an intense burning that took over his whole body, beginning at the base of his neck and spooling out, it made him drop to his side in pure agony. He bit his lip to keep the painful scream his body wanted so badly to release inside. He couldn't scream he just couldn't, if he let it escape his position would be discovered, and _she_ would find him. She was causing this pain; she had this type of power. He had to hold it in. It was a pointless thought, last efforts of the desperate. He was aware it did not matter if he screamed, the very pain that created the need to scream, was created by the closeness of his tormentor. They we're getting closer.

Then his body was yanked roughly from the cave's floor and pinned to the very wall he had rested on early to stare into the eyes of his tormentor. He cursed angrily and thrashed pointlessly against the hand that held him down. His body had none of the usual strength after being starved for a week, but it wouldn't have matter either way

The brown eyes that stared into his with icy indifference brought a feeling of betrayal into Robbie's mind and heart.

"Why must you run, Robbie?" Beck quietly spoke, his voice low and dangerous. "You can't run from her just listen to her." His once friend handsome features had been altered – increased, by his re-birth, along with his personality. He had become _twisted _and dark, like most re-birthers. Beck Oliver no longer existed in Robbie's mind.

Robbie is the woman's number one goon. Doing her dirty work for her, what the woman asked for he always did. Robbie couldn't blame him; she is on a whole another level then most re-birthers - a superior among superiors. Why some of the re-brithers were more 'blessed' then others couldn't be easily explained. Robbie lashed out at him in pure anger, trying to summon any strength left inside him to fight away his once friend before the real threat arrived. Robbie wasn't use to this – being under the control of re-birthers. For years he had been able to escape capture, he and his family hiding out in the mountains. Then their community had been shattered, and by a twist of fate he had been captured by the re-birthers who had been once his friends. They cared not for the history and friendship that had once held them together, no. Friendships with none re-birthers was blasphemy in the eyes of re-birthers.

Robbie often wondered why the ones, who changed, changed in such away – so much. Became creatures that would hurt the ones they had once loved and cared for. Were their old selves no longer inside them? Did they truly not care anymore?

The burning sensation running through Robbie's body grew stronger, and he couldn't help but look at the mouth of the cave as the woman that had once been his friend – never the best of friends, but friends none the less.

A twisted, but pretty smile graced her bright red lips as she watched the scene before her. Her face grown paler with her change her features sharper – completely flawless. Her hair dyed black hair had become as natural as dark as night, her blue gaze, bluer then bluest ocean. Beautiful was an understatement for this woman, but he honestly preferred her how she was. Those blue irises of her now hold no depth, no soul, like they once had.

"Thank you Beck, you may release him now." Her voice was soft and filled with poisonous sweetness.

At her words Robbie's body was released, and he crumbled to the ground face first, he remained there with no energy to move. A moment later he felt a foot on his back.

"Why are you trying to run?" She spoke pressing her foot into his back deeper. "Did you truly think you could escape me, Robert?"

Robbie moved his head to the side for he could see her, he gave her the best glare he could give the situation. The woman was unfazed by his glare, but what angered her was his lack of response.

Robbie was once again pinned to the cave's wall this time by the woman, her hand around his throat.

"When I lower myself Robbie, to ask you a question, it would be in your best interest to answer." The hold on his neck tightened so much so, he found his vision darkening. Just when he thought he would be blessed to be captured by the darkness the hold on his neck loosened.

Robbie just watched the women with hazy eyes; the woman her hitting him wasn't really something that came with her becoming a re-birther. He wasn't really sure of how much more of this he could take though, he had ran for hours. He hated her. He really hated her…

The hold on his neck once again tightened, "What is it Robbie, getting angry?" She had the 'gift' of reading minds when touching. He had to be careful.

"I feel bad for you…" He said through the hold on his neck, expecting the hold on his neck tightening, if not then a good blow to the head would do, but he was released. This time he slid to his butt to look up at his tormentor.

"Feel bad for me?" She asked her tone amused. "Why on earth would you feel bad for _me_?"

Robbie swallowed, "Because you think that you're very powerful." His hands balled into fists at his sides, "You're weak."

Her eyes darkened. "I'm weak…? What a joke. Look at you, you're weak and powerless."

Robbie frantically shook his head, a tiny sad smile coming over his features. "No, I'm strong." He meets her eyes even though it hurts. "I still have my humanity, _Jade_."

The woman blinks at him, her gaze flashing briefly with an emotion he cannot really place. "He's really something, isn't he Beck. He's proud of his humanity…" She glanced at the quiet male. "It's cute right?"

Beck glanced at Robbie, his expression unreadable. He then turned and left. It was odd, but Robbie had bigger things to think about. He watched as she turned and started following Beck out of the cave but came to a stop outside the entryway.

"Come Robbie, I'm kind enough to give you a second chance. We were once friends right?" Then she leaves.

He wished the woman would kill him, but favors weren't the ways of the re-birthers and weren't the ways of Jade. No. She had gone through a lot of trouble to chase him; she wasn't going to let him go that easily. He had few options.

Very slowly he rose to his feet and swayed dangerously. He followed her.

(_M_)

Robbie hit his hand against the metal walls of his prison in frustration. It had been so hard to escape the first time. Then the metal door scrapping against concert floor got his attention, he tried to make his face as indifferent as possible, though if faded to one of shock when the red head walked through it.

_Cat,_ he thought in wonder. It had been three years since he had seen his high school crush. Behind her was a smirking Jade. Cat hadn't turned into a re-birther, he could tell. Her eyes still held their childish innocents, though now it looked strained as she gently smiled at him.

"Robbie," the young woman said softly. She looked very uncomfortable with seeing him. She went to move towards him but the hand of Jade on her shoulder stopped her.

"She really wanted to see you, Robbie." The re-birther said airily. Jade then gently picked up a strand of Cat's hair. "I've been taking very good care of her; I've always seen her as a type of pet anyway."

"You're aw-"He was interrupted.

"Yes, yes… I'm awful, vile, a monster. Is that what you're going to say?" She looked down at Cat. "What about you Cat? Am I any of those things?"

Cat looked completely deflated and she looked at Robbie briefly before lowering her eyes. "Sometimes…" She quietly said.

Jade looked pleased with her answer. "I take care of the none re-birthers under me, Robbie. That takes a level of humanity."

Robbie blinked. Is that what all this is about? His words had gotten to her. _How strange… _Re-brithersnever cared what a none re-birther said to them – ever. They wouldn't be bothered by someone mentioning their lack of morals and humanity.

He began to laugh. A deep, vibrating chuckle which bounced off the walls of his prison, and sounding slightly crazed to his ears. He was so confused. He had seen re-birthers one way – sick, twisted, and hateful, shells of their former shelves. Now, this one claimed to have a 'level' of humanity.

"Keep laughing," She growled then turned leading Cat out of his prison. Once they were gone his laughter abruptly stopped

(_M_)

Robbie walked forward, refusing to show the tight hold the re-brither had on him hurt, as they moved through the building. The young man stumble a little as he was forced up a set of stairs, as they made their way up to the top of the tallest building still standing in Los Angeles.

"Could you loosen the hold up a little? I have calcium deficiency…" Robbie whines, "Ah – alright!" He yells loudly when the hold on him is tightened.

They push through a door and into Jade's headquarters. She's in the room with Beck who looks at Robbie funny when they enter.

"I've brought him like you asked."

"Good, you can let him go." The hold on his arm is let go and he's very happy, "and leave." Then she gets from behind the table, coming to stand on the other side of it. "You can also leave, Beck. We can finish that conversation another time."

Something flashes behind Beck's eyes and Robbie thinks anger… suspicion? But what is Beck suspicious of? Jade? Why? The male's face goes to indifference and he leaves, leaving Jade and Robbie alone.

"Come here now." She orders him like he's a dog. So of course he remains perfectly still, making thing difficult for himself. She looks annoyed, but only turns on her heels and walks over to the large window in the room. "Come look at this now!"

Pain creeps up the back of his neck and he moves forward, unwillingly. He comes to stand beside her, as far away as he can get. He watches her for a while for a few seconds before turning his attention to the window.

Below them to his left is the completely destroyed city of LA and to his right is a slow progression of re-building, actually, the work has come very far for only three years, possibly because of the around the clock human labor. It's nearly 100 hundred degrees out and they were working, doing back breaking labor.

"They are working I ga-"

"They're your slaves," Robbie interrupts, turning to look at her. His eyes are on her forehead, rather than her painful gaze.

"No, they're workers, and they work for protection and food. They work, which keep them out of trouble, which stops them getting ideas in their head to start another war that will create that…" Her hand waves to the rubble to his left.

"You keep them tired and weak… for they can't fight you."

"You aren't listening!"

He gently shakes his head. He really doesn't understand why/what it is she is trying to show. "It's really hot out there." He turns his attention back to the window. Even from so far up he can make out a person collapsing, and the re-birthers who roughly snatch the unconscious person from the ground. "Can't you see that? Can't you see that making anyone work in that is… inhumane?"

When he looks at her, she's actually watching what he had. Her face is unreadable though. "It's hot…?" He frowns. How could she not have any idea if it's hot? It's even steaming inside of her office.

"It's impossible for us to feel temperatures." She answers his thoughts. "I wasn't really aware…"

He would never understand re-birthers. He honestly didn't want too.

"Is it really that bad?" She asks. "Why can't they take a little heat?"

His frowns deepens "You don't remember being hot?" He asks. "How it completely drains you and dehydrates you?" He was certainly learning something new today.

"No" She looks at him. "Then I should give them water and breaks?"

Surprised, Robbie could only nod. He couldn't understand how they worked.

"Fine," then she walks back to her desk and scribbles something down. Then the room's door burst open and in walked a male re-birther, blond, tall, and perfect feature – the norm.

"Why in the hell was my idea of a brothel rejected?" The male bellowed angrily.

"Because I think it is disgusting." Jade answered without looking up from her writing.

"Regions 3, 9, and 7 all have them." The man came to a stop right before her desk. Towering over her, she hardly seemed threatened Robbie noted.

"Then go to regions 3, 9, and 7 for your fixes." Jade bit out.

The tense rose in the room and became almost too thick for Robbie to handle as they stared each other down. He tried to take very deep breaths. This re-birther must be on a similar level as Jade. He wonders why it was Jade who picked for this position then. Is there a council of re-birthers who assign these things? There had been a type of government throughout the war, he was aware. The lack of understanding and grasp he had on these enemies, slapped him in the face then. They were truly still mysteries.

Then the air was sliced, their staring match ended, and he could breathe again. "You're letting another one of those into your office? What, has the red head ran away?" Robbie looked up finding the male looking at him – unimpressed.

"None of your business, Tank." Jade told him simply.

Tank laughed loudly, throwing his head back. "Of course Leader Jade, I won't get into your personal matters." He mocked. "Though a lot of us are thinking you're going soft… your re-building project is moving slowest out of all other regions." He then smiles showing off perfect white teeth. "If you can't handle… I could always take over."

"You would love that, but no thank you." She narrows her eyes at him. "Leave."

The guy takes his time leaving the office, but eventually goes. Robbie watches a little frightened as Jade breaks her pen in half. "That bastard…" She hisses under her breath.

(_N_)

Robbie turns on his side, trying to find a comfortable area on the cement floor. Giving up, he groans and sit up, leaning his head against the wall. He was so worried about his parents and he wondered had they escaped safely.

Then his mind kept going to the weirdness that is Jade. His once friend was truly odd for a re-birther. His head snapped to his left when he heard the metal door scrapping open. He was surprised to see Cat enter.

He quickly rose to his feet and in seconds he was being tightly embraced. He felt like crying, but he wouldn't. But it felt very nice to meet a friend again, one that hadn't lost her humanity.

"It's been such a long time!" The girl squealed softly. "I've missed you so much! I'm happy you're alright! Are you hungry? I can get you something to eat…."

Robbie grinned at her so much his cheeks hurt. "No… no I'm fine." His smile then fades. "You shouldn't be in here. You might get into trouble."

Cat gently shakes her head. "No I won't." He gives her a confused look and she continues. "She… I mean, Jade told me I could come in here."

"Oh… really?" Robbie asked truly surprised. "That very nice of her…"

Cat nodded. "Yeah… she's different Robbie. I mean different from other re-birthers."

Robbie has no idea what that's supposed to mean. "Oh"

"She's nice… well, they think differently than us and but…" Robbie holds his hand up stopping her before the girl further confuses herself. Cat was only trying to feel better. There is no difference between Jade and other re-birthers. Jade only sees her as a pet. "I think she's trying to be human, Robbie."

That was completely impossible and Robbie had no doubt about it. Her type had lost their humanity and they didn't want it back.

Not wanting to hurt Cat's feelings, Robbie only smiled. "Enough about that, tell me how are you."

**PR**


End file.
